Kirby Snead does not appear to be an intimidating pitcher.
The Alachua native doesn’t throw particularly hard — his fastball usually clocks in around 85 mph — but he has been setting down opposing batters in short order since the season began.
“Kirby’s numb,” coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “I don’t think he knows any better than just come in and throw strikes. We’ve made his role very simple, we’ve kept it simple for him. It’s not complicated. He’s got a different angle that left-handed hitters don’t like.
“Just keep throwing low strikes and don’t over-analyze it.”
Snead, who routinely faces one or two batters as a lefty specialist, has posted a 2.25 ERA over four innings in nine appearances — but that is only the third-best mark among pitchers with three or more appearances out of the pen for the Gators (10-6) this season.
“Not enough can be said about our pitching [against Connecticut],” catcher Taylor Gushue said. “It was absolutely unbelievable. Every key situation, they did their job.”
The Florida pitching staff as a whole has a 3.04 ERA, but that number drops to 2.12 among pitchers who have made at least half of their appearances out of the bullpen this season.
Like Snead, the rest of the freshman class has played a pivotal role relieving UF’s starters.
First-year pitchers have accounted for 23 of the 76.2 bullpen innings for the Gators this season and have put up a 2.35 ERA. They will need to continue their success as Florida plays Illinois State (8-4) tonight at 7 p.m. at McKethan Stadium and begins Southeastern Conference play on Friday against Arkansas (8-5).
“SEC play, it’s a new season,” Gushue said he tells freshmen. “We’re playing for that ring.”
But it isn’t only freshmen who have been major contributors to the bullpen this season.
Junior Ryan Harris and sophomore Aaron Rhodes have posted sub-1 ERAs so far this season.
In their 26 combined innings in 2014, the duo has surrendered only two runs on 18 hits while striking out 14 batters.
Harris has specialized in short relief, with seven of his nine appearances lasting an inning or fewer.
Rhodes has been the exact opposite.
All but two of his appearances have lasted at least two innings, including a 4-inning save against FGCU on March 1 and a 3.2-inning win over Southern Mississippi in relief on March 4.
“We have confidence in him,” O’Sullivan said after Rhodes’ four-inning outing. “We showed a vote of confidence, and, obviously, he pitched very well.”
Lately, O’Sullivan has been mixing up his rotation, moving freshman Logan Shore to the Friday-night spot against the Huskies and putting junior Bobby Poyner in the bullpen despite multiple successful starts.
The 6-foot left-hander responded with three consecutive scoreless outings, notching the win in the series clincher on Saturday and securing the sweep on Sunday.
“Whenever duty calls, you got to get it done,” Poyner said.
In his three relief appearances, Poyner has pitched 2.1 innings, striking out two and giving up only one hit.
“It’s really the same,” Poyner said.
“You still got to make pitches in quality situations. You execute those pitches and you’ll do well. If you don’t, the opposite.”
Follow Adam Lichtenstein on Twitter @alichtenstein24
Ryan Harris pitches the ball during Florida’s 4-0 win against Maryland on Feb. 14 at McKethan Stadium. Harris has notched a 0.79 ERA in nine appearances in the Gators’ first 16 games.
